King Lear: Lear and Loathing

Pro tip from King Lear to parents of all varieties, especially those running hereditary monarchies and dictatorships: retirement ain’t all that it’s cracked up to be! The British ruler’s efforts to step away to enjoy his dotage by dividing his kingdom among his daughters backfires horribly in a dark play chronicling vanity, aging, madness, and favoritism among siblings. Will and James discuss how actors have tackled Shakespeare’s greatest role for thespians with AARP cards, whether Cordelia should have just humored her dad to spare everyone pain, and the bleakness of one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays. // Credits // Intro Music: Jon Sayles, "The Witches' Dance" (composed by anonymous); Outro Music: Jon Sayles, “Saltarello” (composed by anonymous); Illustrative Excerpts: “King Lear,” dir. Jonathan Miller, BBC (1975); “King Lear,” dir. Gregory Doran, Royal Shakespeare Company (2016); “King Lear,” dir. Richard Eyre (2018)